THE RAEBURN in Edinburgh - Hotel Review with Photos

SD › Edinburgh Boutique Hotels › Raeburn Review
Updated: May 18, 2022

Essentials
• Location: Raeburn Pl, next door to the Edinburgh Academicals Sports Ground.
• Hotel website: theraeburn.com
• Hotel phone: +44 131 332 7000
• Check prices for Raeburn

Review of The Raeburn Hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The Raeburn offers 10 unique but luxurious rooms with elegant bathrooms as well as a great restaurant, bar, and beer garden.

Raeburn – Scotland-themed boutique rooms with heritage touches in lively Stockbridge.

A short ramble from New Town, Stockbridge has an independent, village-like feel and this small, stylish hotel is very much part of the local scene, thanks to its perpetually busy restaurant, bar, and beer garden. Tweed, tartan, and prints of local wildlife dominate the ten individually styled rooms, complete with espresso machines, while rain showers and free-standing tubs are de rigueur in the bathrooms. Excellent on-site dining and drinking aside, the hotel is an easy stroll from numerous other dining options and the service is helpful and cheerful. Frequent buses run to New Town and beyond in case you don’t fancy an uphill walk all the way to Old Town.

Raeburn – Location

Address: 112 Raeburn Pl.
Area: Bustling high street a 25-minute walk (1 mile) north of Haymarket and a 10-minute walk (0.4 mile) northwest and downhill of New Town with its bars, shops, cafes, and restaurants. The hotel is set back from the street and there are numerous dining options just a couple of minutes away. The Royal Botanic Garden is a 10-minute stroll (0.5 mile), whereas the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle, and most other major attractions are within a 20-25 minute walk. Edinburgh is hilly but compact and best explored on foot.
How to Get There: From Edinburgh Airport, either take the tram to the West End stop (20 minutes) and walk for 25 minutes (1 mile), or take an airport shuttle or Uber/taxi directly to the hotel (8 miles).
Private Transfer: We use and recommend Welcome Pickups car service. Booking through a private car service will cost only a bit more than a taxi – about £40 from Edinburgh Airport – but can be worth it to avoid the long taxi queue and for the convenience of paying ahead.
Handy to: Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh Castle, Scottish National Gallery.

Raeburn – The Basics

Ages: While many of the guests tend to be couples or travelers on a city break, families with children are welcome.
View: Some of the rooms look out over the front patio and the high street, while others overlook a quiet lane, the sports grounds next door, or Inverleith Park to the north of the hotel.
Private Pools/Jacuzzis: No private pools or jacuzzis.
Laundry: In-room laundry service.
Parking: Four free parking spaces nearby; reservations required.
Extras: Turn-down service on request, several guest lounges and outdoor sitting areas, private dining room on request, 24-hour check-in if flying in late, taxis from airport arranged on request.
When to Book: Reserve 2-3 months in advance for the summer high season (May to September) as well as the Christmas/New Year period. Several weeks in advance rest of the year.
How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
Phone: +44 131 332 7000
Email: info@theraeburn.com
Website: theraeburn.com

Raeburn – Amenities

Pool: No pool.
Spa: No spa, though guests may get discounts on beauty treatments at a nearby spa.
Fitness Center: No fitness center.
For Disabled Guests: One room is fully adapted for guests with disabilities and common areas are all wheelchair-accessible.
For Families: Baby cots and folding beds available. Children’s meals arranged on request and there are high chairs at the restaurant.

Raeburn – Food and Drink

Restaurant: The Raeburn Restaurant (7am-10pm) serves creative, reasonably-priced Modern Scottish fare, from extensive breakfasts, sandwiches, salads, and various small plates for lunch to more extensive dinner mains (pan-seared sea trout, rump of lamb, burgers). Indoor and outdoor dining areas, generous portions, dogs welcome. Open to non-guests and reservations are a good idea for lunch and dinner. $$.
Lounges/Bars: The Raeburn Bar serves original cocktails (try the Burns Breakfast), classic cocktails, an extensive range of Scotch whiskies, a carefully selected wine list, and a number of local craft beers. Open from noon to midnight. • There’s a second, hidden bar in the ‘library’ lounge offering the same drinks selection.
Breakfast: Not complimentary (£12.50 per person) unless you book direct. Dishes cooked to order: pancake and waffle stacks, smashed avocado on toast, eggs Benedict, full Scottish breakfast, etc. Served at the restaurant from 7-10.30am.
Room Service: Available all day until 10pm from the restaurant.

Raeburn – Rooms

Room Types: Standard Double • Deluxe Double • List of all Rooms
Smoking Rooms: The Raeburn is 100% smoke-free.
Best Room: The 4 Deluxe rooms come with free-standing soaking tubs as well as rain showers. Rooms 7 and 9 are guest favorites and come with original Georgian windows overlooking the front patio, whereas room 6 is particularly quiet.
For Families: No family rooms per se but most rooms can accommodate extra beds and cots.

Raeburn – Local Transport

Walking: Getting to the Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle requires a 30-minute walk (1.5 miles), while the Scottish National Portrait Gallery is a 20-minute stroll (1 mile) and the Scottish National Gallery is a 25-minute walk (1 mile). The Royal Botanic Garden is an easy 10-minute walk (0.5 mile). Numerous restaurants, cafes, and charity shops are on the same street as the hotel, a couple of minutes’ walk away.
Bus: From the nearby bus stop (75m), buses 24 and 29 run to Edinburgh city center and stop by the Royal Mile. From the city center, you can catch buses to Leith (for the Royal Yacht Britannia) and to Holyrood Park (for Arthur’s Seat).
Tram: The nearest tram stop is West End, a 25-minute walk (1 mile) away.
Taxis, Uber: Taxis charge around £20 from the airport to the hotel, while Uber charges around £15.

Raeburn – What’s Nearby?

Recommended Nearby Tours

Invisible Edinburgh – Themed walking tours with homeless people trained as guides. Choose between the likes of Powerful Women (JK Rowling, Maggie Dickson, etc.), Crime & Punishment, and more. Book in advance. Start location: Depends on tour.
Mercat Tours – Good range of history walks. Their ‘Ghosts & Ghouls’ tour takes you to the underground vaults beneath South Bridge. Tours start at the Mercat Cross on the Royal Mile. (1.5 miles).
City of the Dead Tours – Spooky nightly tours of Greyfriars Kirkyard, complete with ghostly encounters. The ‘Mackenzie Poltergeist’, a 17th-century ghost of a judge, allegedly haunts the prison in the corner of the graveyard. Depart at 9pm Easter-October; at 8.30pm rest of the year. Start location: “Tree of the Dead” outside St Giles’ Cathedral (1.5 miles).
The Cadies & Witchery Tours – Entertaining ‘Murder & Mystery’ tours of Old Town conducted by the becloaked Adam Lyal. Expect costumed actors to jump out at you from dark corners off the Royal Mile. Start location: The Witchery Restaurant (1.5 miles).
The Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour – Fantastic 2-hour walking tour that takes in pubs associated with Edinburgh’s literary history. Meet at the Beehive Inn on Grassmarket (2 miles).
Trainspotting Tours – Witty, engaging tour of locations from the 1993 Irvine Welsh’s novel Trainspotting and its 1996 movie adaptation. Adults only. Meet at Docker’s Club in Leith (2.5 miles).

Best Nearby Restaurants

The Scran & Scallie – With a Michelin-starred chef’s backing, this unpretentious gastropub excels at fresh takes on traditional dishes such as lamb shoulder with fennel puree and smoked haddock rarebit. The weekday 3-course lunch menu is a steal at £19. Great service and busy at lunchtimes; book ahead. (25m).
Street Box – Cheap and cheerful Thai eatery offering a selection of curries, stir-fries, soups, and plenty of vegetarian dishes. Takeout available. (0.1 mile).
Taisteal – Specializing in Scottish produce that is given the global treatment (hence the restaurant’s name, meaning “travel” in Gaelic), this friendly place serves the likes of wild-garlic and rabbit cannelloni, lamb with baba ghanoush, and pheasant with blackberries. Cozy and informal. Book ahead. (0.2 mile).
RadiCibus – Contemporary Italian eatery with a handful of beautifully executed dishes such as octopus with leeks and potatoes and pigeon with pistachio, coffee, and fennel. Stylish, romantic, and wallet-friendly. (0.3 mile).
Bells Diner – Retro diner, around since the 1970s, with a crowd-pleasing menu of burgers, steaks, milkshakes, and ice cream sundaes. Popular with families. (0.3 mile).
Purslane Restaurant – Feast on Scottish game and seafood by candlelight at this relaxed yet intimate fine dining venue. Advance reservations. (0.4 mile).
Kenji Sushi – Cozy Japanese restaurant with traditional seating on tatami mats. The menu runs the gamut from sushi rolls and sashimi to bowls of udon noodles, tempura, donburi rice bowls topped with katsu and more. (0.4 mile).
Forage & Chatter – Seasonal ingredients and hand-picked herbs are turned into beautiful, subtly flavored dishes in this understated basement restaurant. Enjoy it alongside Scottish craft beer biodynamic wines in rough-hewn stone, reclaimed wood, and tartan surrounds. Reserve ahead. (1 mile).

Best Nearby Cafes

Artisan Roast – The Stockbridge branch of one of Edinburgh’s best independent coffee roasteries, with beans sourced from locations as diverse as Burundi, El Salvador, and Ethiopia. Cakes, cheese toasties, and other light bites complement the brew. (75m).
Cowan & Sons – Local favorite for a full Scottish breakfast with all the trimmings or lighter brunch fare such as French toast topped with fresh berries. Hearty soup lunches, too. (0.1 mile).

Best Nearby Bars and Pubs

Rollo Restaurant & Wine Bar – Intimate wine bar with a hand-picked selection of over 2 dozen wines from across Europe, South America, and New Zealand by the glass, as well as an eclectic selection of tapas. (50m).
The Stockbridge Tap – Unpretentious local pub with an excellent selection of real ales and whiskies, plus good pub grub. (0.2 mile).
Good Brothers Wine Bar – A short and eclectic menu of interesting wines by the glass from small and independent producers, craft beers and cocktails, plus small plates for sharing (braised ox cheek, Galiciain anchovies) make this a bit of a hipster hangout. (0.2 mile).
Hectors – A favorite with local families (for the Sunday roast) and Edinburgh’s young and beautiful (for the weekend DJ sets), this congenial pub also stocks a good range of cask ales and craft beers. (0.2 mile).
Oxford Bar – If you’re a fan of Inspector Rebus from the Ian Rankin novels, you’ll have no trouble recognizing ‘the Ox’. For everyone else: this is an unpretentious watering hole popular with locals and serving good ales (sometimes to the accompaniment of folk music). (0.7 mile).
Tigerlily – Some of the best, most original cocktails in the city are served at this buzzy bar. The sparkling mirror-glass mosaic, velvet, and steel is a regular gathering place for Edinburgh’s glitterati. (0.8 mile).

Nearby Shopping and Cool Shops

Galerie Mirages – Handmade throws, lanterns, rugs, weavings, carvings, and other ethnic items are all found inside this treasure trove of a shop. The silver and amber jewelry in traditional and contemporary designs really stands out. (0.1 mile).
Golden Hare Books – “Best Independent Bookshop of the Year” in 2019, this delightful bookstore specializes in ‘beautiful, unusual, and interesting books’, has a terrific children’s corner, and hosts literary events. (0.4 mile).
Quarters – The store attached to Edinburgh’s hippest barbershop sells carefully chosen items to ‘meet the requirements of modern man’. These include Marshall Major headphones, Harris Tweed iPad cases, Belroy wallets, quality grooming products, and even men’s streetwear. (0.7 mile).
ANTA Scotland Ltd – Design store that has breathed new life into tweed and tartan, turning them into everything from carpets to attractive furnishings, fashion items, and accessories. (0.8 mile).
21st Century Kilts – Bespoke and off-the-peg kilts in every imaginable style and fabric, from Harris tweed and denim to leather. You can opt for a ‘hipster fit’ or detachable pockets, too. Celebrity clientele have included Vin Diesel and Robbie Williams in the past. (0.8 mile).
Aspinal of London Edinburgh – Beautiful, hand-tooled leather satchels, briefcases, and other travel accessories. (1 mile).

Nearby Attractions

Water of Leith Walkway – This picturesque 4-mile riverside walk starts next to the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art and follows the river all the way to the port of Leith. You can also join the river path near Dean Bridge in Dean Village. (0.4 mile).
Royal Botanic Garden – In its present location since 1823 but founded in 1670, these are the second-oldest gardens in Britain of their kind (the oldest are in Oxford), and feature beautifully landscaped grounds. Don’t miss the world-famous rock garden, the Victorian glasshouses with their riot of azaleas and rhododendrons, or the exhibitions on climate change and biodiversity inside the visitor center. (0.5 mile).
Princes Street Gardens – Occupying the valley between Princes St and the crag on which Edinburgh Castle stands, these vast gardens are a favorite spot for morning runs and weekend picnics. The Ross Bandstand hosts open-air concerts in the summer; look out also for the Floral Clock. (1 mile).
Scottish National Portrait Gallery – Famous Scots appear inside this Venetian Gothic palace in painting, sculpture, and photograph form. They range from Mary, Queen of Scots, and Bonnie Prince Charlie to Sean Connery, Billy Connolly, and more. (1 mile).
Scottish National Gallery – This Victorian 1850s building houses an excellent collection of Scottish art in the basement, with landscapes by William MacTaggart and Sir David Wilkie and portraits by the likes of Sir Henry Raeburn and Allan Ramsay. The ground floor is devoted to European art, from the Renaissance to post-Impressionism. (1 mile).
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art – Edinburgh’s impressive collection of contemporary art is split between two stately neoclassical buildings near Dean Village. Modern One focuses on major 20th-century art movements in Europe, with works by Picasso, Matisse, Mondrian, and Giacometti. There are also works by post-Impressionist Scottish Colorists such as Leslie Hunter, a sculpture garden, and an excellent café. (1 mile).
Scott Monument – This dark Gothic spire, built to honor the memory of Sir Walter Scott who died in 1832, dominates Princes St. There is usually a Scotsman in traditional Highland dress playing bagpipes outside. Climb the 287 steps to the top for a great view of the city. (1 mile).
Writers’ Museum – Take the close (alleyway) that connects the Royal Mile with the Mound to visit this literary museum inside the 1622 Lady Stair’s House. Here you can immerse yourself in manuscripts and memorabilia of Robert Louis Stevenson, Sir Walter Scott, and Robert Burns, three of Scotland’s most famous writers. (1.5 miles).
The Scotch Whisky Experience – Walk your way through this entertaining multimedia center that showcases the creation of whisky, from barley to distillation to bottle. All your senses are engaged here and you can also check out the world’s largest collection of malt whiskies. Depending on the tour option, you may get to sample a number of whiskies paired with Scottish nibbles. (1.5 miles).
Edinburgh Castle – Perched on the crag of Castle Rock, this historic fortress and former royal residence dominates the Edinburgh skyline. It’s the city’s atmospheric, heavyweight attraction, where you can see the Honours of Scotland (Scottish Crown Jewels), the bed-chamber where Mary, Queen of Scots, gave birth to her son who’d unite the English and Scottish crowns, the National War Museum of Scotland, the prisons inside the Castle Vaults, and the One o’Clock Gun, a WWII Goliath that’s fired at 1pm daily. The views of the city from the battlements are tremendous. (1.5 miles).
National Museum of Scotland – Spread across 2 buildings – a contemporary and a Victorian one – this terrific museum is a stampede through the history of Scotland, presented using an engaging variety of media highlighting the period from the earliest prehistoric signs of humanity until the 1990s. There are occasional themed exhibitions too, while the older building is home to displays on the decorative arts of China, the Islamic world, Japan, and the West, as well as design and fashion, science and technology, and natural history. (1.5 miles).
Royal Yacht Britannia – An easy bus ride from Hamilton Place on bus #36. This luxury yacht used to be Her Majesty’s floating holiday home between 1953 and 1997. Permanently moored at the Ocean Centre mall, it’s now a museum. Visitors can use the excellent audio guides to acquaint themselves with the living quarters for the Queen and 45 other members of the Royal Family. (3 miles).

Nearby Markets or Grocery Stores

Stockbridge Market – Held in the Jubilee Gardens every Sunday from 10am to 5pm, this popular market is a great place to stock up on artisan bread, cheese, smoked salmon, and locally handmade soap and jewelry. Food stalls serve crêpes, drinks, burgers, and more. (0.3 mile).
Waitrose – Stockbridge branch of the high-end supermarket on the corner of Fettes Ave and Comely Bank Rd. (0.3 mile).
IJ Mellis Cheesemonger – The Stockbridge branch of this pungent, traditional cheesemonger stocks a huge variety of cheeses from all over the world, as well as the more local Stinking Bishop and Old Lochnagar. (0.3 mile).

Raeburn – The Hotel

The Raeburn hotel is set back from the high street in the lively Stockbridge neighborhood. The front patio doubles as a beer garden for the hotel bar.

The Raeburn bar has a nice selection of drinks.

The Raeburn Bar is attached to its namesake restaurant, popular with guests and locals alike, and serves original cocktails, whiskies, craft beer, and more. Noon-midnight.

The restaurant and bar share the spacious, open-plan common space with this appealing lounge.

This is another sitting area in the lobby.

On cold and rainy days, this common space with a fireplace is a boon.

The hotel has a private dining area also.

There is also a private dining area for guests wishing to avoid the hustle and bustle of the main restaurant space.

The faux library, also on the ground floor, is a guests-only quiet reading space.

The bar is hidden behind a fake bookcase.

This bar is cleverly hidden behind a fake bookcase in the faux library.

The rooms vary in size but have similar amenities.

The 8 standard and the 2 deluxe rooms vary in size, since it’s a heritage building, but all come with tweed headboards, Nespresso machines, desks, tartan touches, and Bose Bluetooth speakers preloaded with tunes.

Standard bathrooms come with rain showers.

Standard bathrooms feature walk-in rain showers; some also have bathtubs.

The accessible room has a roll-in shower.

The room adapted for guests with disabilities comes with a roll-in shower.

The front-facing rooms are the most popular.

The two rooms facing the front feature original Georgian windows and are among the most sought-after rooms in spite of some noise from the beer garden.

While tartan is constant throughout, each room has a subtly different color scheme. This is one of the two spacious deluxe rooms, complete with a sketch of Scottish wildlife.

Stand-alone tubs are found in some standard bathrooms, but not all; enquire ahead if it’s a deal-breaker.

This deluxe room has a hand-drawn cattle print.

The other deluxe room features a hand-drawn print of Scottish Highland cattle.

One of the deluxe bathrooms has a separate tub and rain shower.

One of the deluxe bathrooms is particularly spacious and accommodates a standalone tub as well as a rain shower.

Right across the street from the hotel, The Scran & Scallie is an award-winning gastropub project of a Michelin-starred chef. It’s a good idea to book even at lunchtime for the fresh takes on traditional dishes.

Slow-cooked pork belly is a popular dish.

Dishes at The Scran & Scallie include slow-cooked pork belly with all the trimmings.

Artisan Roast is an excellent coffee roastery.

Just down the street from the hotel, Artisan Roast is one of the city’s best coffee roasteries, with 2 more branches around Edinburgh.

Street Box serves Asian, Thai, and vegetarian dishes.

Stockbridge’s high street on which the hotel is located is lined with a mix of thrift stores and ethnic eateries, such as the cheap and cheerful Street Box that serves Thai stir-fries, curries, and plenty of vegetarian options.

The Stockbridge Tap is a popular local pub.

Across the street, The Stockbridge Tap is an unpretentious local pub with real ales on tap, a range of whiskies, and an easygoing vibe.

Also along the high street, RadiCibus is a refined yet inexpensive spot for contemporary Italian dishes.

Stockbridge Market takes place on Sundays.

To walk to New Town, you need to cross the bridge across the Water of Leith, a 6-minute walk from the hotel. The popular Stockbridge Market takes place just across the bridge on Sundays.

The Royal Yacht Britannia is moored in Leith.

Just across the bridge, you can take a bus along Hamilton Place to the port of Leith to check out Her Majesty’s Royal Yacht Britannia, now a floating museum.

IJ Mellis Cheesemonger has a great selection of cheeses.

Near the bridge is the Stockbridge branch of the IJ Mellis Cheesemonger. Come here for a huge variety of Scottish and international cheeses.

Dean Bridge is popular for a riverside ramble.

A 12-minute walk south of the hotel, Dean Bridge is the starting point for a picturesque riverside ramble along the Water of Leith.

Forage & Chatter uses seasonal ingredients.

Head further south from Dean Bridge along Lynedoch Place to reach Forage & Chatter, an understated Michelin-starred restaurant that makes maximum use of seasonal produce and wild herbs.

There are many high-end boutiques on George Street.

A few minutes’ walk east from Forage & Chatter is George Street, New Town’s main thoroughfare lined with stately Georgian architecture and home to high-end boutiques.

Tigerlily is a popular bar on George Street.

On George Street, Tigerlily is one of Edinburgh’s most popular cocktail bars, hidden inside the eponymous hotel.

A block north of George St, on Young St, you’ll find The Oxford Bar, an unpretentious local pub made famous in the Inspector Rebus crime novels.

21st Century Kilts can make custom kilts.

A few doors down from ‘the Ox’, 21st Century Kilts will kit you out in contemporary fashions and will make you a kilt out of any material you can think of.

Princes Street is New Town's main thoroughfare.

Head south from George Street for a couple of minutes and you hit Princes Street, New Town’s main thoroughfare and bus and tram hub.

The garden near Princes Street are very popular.

Just across are the Princes Street Gardens, a favorite place for walkers and picnickers, with tremendous views of Edinburgh Castle.

The Scottish National Gallery is known for its Renaissance art collection.

Two more blocks east along Princes Street is the Scottish National Gallery, with a terrific collection of Scottish and European Renaissance art.

The Edinburgh Waverley train station is nearby.

Right nearby is the Edinburgh Waverley train station, with departures to London, Glasgow, and other major destinations.

Head up The Mound towards Old Town.

The Royal Mile is Old Town's most famous street.

Just up from The Mound is the Royal Mile, Old Town’s most famous street, partially pedestrianized and lined with some of the city’s biggest attractions.

Edinburgh Castle is on the west end of the Royal Mile.

At the west end of the Royal Mile is the unmissable attraction of Edinburgh Castle.

Scotch Whisky Experience offers whisky tastings and exhibitions.

Nearby is the Scotch Whisky Experience with multimedia exhibitions on the creation of whisky, complete with tastings.

Buskers play bagpipes in the Old Town every day.

Buskers with bagpipes are a common sight in Old Town. Check rates and availability: Raeburn

The Raeburn Hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland

See Also